A soft wooded shrub, up to 3 m. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, densely covered in appressed rough hairs on both surfaces; 5-7-veined from the base. Flowers large in dense terminal inflorescences, corolla violet.

Two varieties are recognized:
Var. princeps has elongated receptacle-appendages, which are densely covered in long bristles. Var. candolleana (Cogn.) A. & R. Fernandes has short receptacle-appendages, sparsely covered in short and weak bristles.